


i'll deny what's beneath the surface [without you here i don't know what i'm doing]

by softlikethesunset



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Flappers, Hostage Situations, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, all my homies hate caleb covington, i hate caleb covington, i wanted more nickinald so i wrote some nickinald
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28071705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlikethesunset/pseuds/softlikethesunset
Summary: it was bone-chilling in the costume room.or, nick is rescued from caleb covington. but there's a price for his freedom.i do not own jatp or its characters.
Relationships: Nick/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. i don't care how you get to me [just get to me]

It was bone-chilling in the costume room.

Nick was curled up behind a costume rack, the feathers of the flappers’ outfits tickling his nose.

He tried not to sneeze. Caleb would come running.

And God knows Nick didn’t want that.

He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering against the cold wind flowing out of the vent next to him.

Jazz music sunk through the walls, Caleb’s voice louder than all. He had a show tonight, and he insisted on locking Nick into the costume room until it was over.

That was fair. Nick knew if he could, he would tell everyone in that stupid club that Caleb wasn’t who they thought he was.

A noise echoed through the room.

He wasn’t alone anymore.

Someone’s quiet footsteps bounced against the wooden floor.

“Nick? Nick, are you in here?”

Nick squeezed his eyes shut, a rainbow of colors dancing behind his eyelids. 

Whoever they were, it was clear they were just a vision Caleb had created to keep Nick occupied for the night.

“Please, go away. I know you’re not real. You’re just something he made up. Please.”

He heard the ruffling & clinking of gem-encrusted dresses, and then came a warm hand on his forehead.

Salty tears ran down Nick’s cheeks. “Please. I know you’re not real.”

“Nick?” Came a confused whisper, and the boy opened his eyes reluctantly, barely able to make out the other’s face through the shadows of the dark room.

“R-Reggie?”


	2. no matter where we're going [i'll be by your side]

Nick’s heart was suddenly beating a lot faster, and the cold costume room didn’t seem so cold anymore.

“Yeah.” Reggie chuckled, running his hands up and down Nick’s goosebump-covered arms. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“Are you sure?” Nick whispered softly. “Are you sure you’re not fake?”

“Babe, why would I be fake?” The bassist’s eyebrows creased as he tugged at the flannel around his waist, draping it around Nick’s shoulders.

“Caleb. He made these visions to keep me busy during his shows, and-”

“That bastard. I’m gonna kill him.”

Nick laughed weakly, leaning into Reggie’s touch. “Reg, he’s already dead.”

The other’s eyebrows creased. “So? I don’t care. He deserves it.”

“Reggie! Reggie, hurry up and get him out.” Another voice hissed.

“I’m coming, Alex.” Reggie sighed, taking Nick’s hands in his own. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

Nick shook his head. “No. You have to get out of here.”

“Nick, don’t be stupid, I’m not leaving without you.” Reggie looped Nick’s arm around his shoulders. 

The blonde stumbled to his feet, leaning heavily on Reggie for support. “H-how did you guys get in here?”

Reggie pushed the costume rack out of the way as he took cautious steps towards the door. “Bobby, I mean, Trevor. Willie made sure he got an invitation to tonight’s show.”

“And you snuck in?” Nick’s chest heaved, his knees wobbling. It felt like his head was swimming in white noise. Reggie slowed, wrapping his arm around the boy a little tighter.

“You know it. It wasn’t that hard, actually. We just willed ourselves to become invisible.”

According to Julie, ever since the Orpheum, the boys had been…. different. They could be seen by anyone, but only if they wanted to. The same went for being invisible. 

He remembers the day he found out ¾ of Julie and the Phantoms were ghosts. He and Julie were studying math one afternoon in the studio. Caleb had left Nick to his own devices for the night, something about “dealing with that boy and his stupid skateboard”.

Nick was glad, but a sense of dread still tinged his senses.

Julie had been explaining a problem to him when he heard a poofing noise, instinctively ducking. Caleb always showed up when Nick least expected it.

But instead of the magician, it was a teenage boy, with dark brown hair and a red flannel tied around his waist.

“Who are you?” Nick asked, dropping his pencil.

Julie glanced up at Nick, her eyes wide. “You can see him?”

As it turned out, Nick could see Reggie, and feel him too, which was apparently very unusual. 

“And Caleb was none the wiser,” Reggie said, snapping Nick out of his thoughts. He pulled the door open, pushing Nick through the crack before slipping behind him. “He didn’t even notice.”

The boy smiled as Reggie intertwined their fingers together, but a wave of dread washed over him when a shining dress shoe blocked his path.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Peters. I notice everything.”


	3. i see the darkness [it's following me here]

Nick’s heart dropped into his chest, and Reggie stuck an arm out protectively. “Don’t you dare touch him, Caleb.”

The blonde glanced around the room. Mr. Wilson was standing a couple feet away, whispering to Luke, who was noticeably missing a guitar strapped to his back.

Alex was right next to Nick, staring nervously at Willie, who was behind Caleb.

“Oh, Reggie, I wasn’t planning on it.” Covington said, a twisted grin on his face. 

Mr. Wilson stepped forward. “Then what were you planning?”

“Nothing too awful, Trevor. Or is it ….. Bobby?” The magician cocked an eyebrow, unclipping the purple cloak that was clipped around his shoulders. It sunk to the floor and disappeared in a flash of purple smoke. “I’m just asking for one favor.”

“And that is….” Luke trailed off, tapping a sneakered shoe against the floor. 

“In exchange for Mr. Danforth-Evans here, I would like someone to stay behind in his place.”

Nick suddenly noticed that everyone in the club was staring at them, and he tugged at his shirt collar, clinging onto Reggie’s hand.

“I’ll do it.” Alex said, tipping his head to gaze at Caleb.

A noise came from Willie’s throat, one that sounded like choking on air, and he began to walk over to the drummer. 

Caleb’s hand shot up, and Willie’s footsteps stopped, as if held by an invisible force. 

It was the magic. Nick could tell. It had happened to him many times before.

“That’s very noble of you, Mr. Mercer, but you are not a spirit I require.” Caleb crossed his arms. “No, I require someone else. Someone close to the heart of Miss Molina, but equally as close to Nicholas. Someone like….”

“Me.”

Nick swiveled to look at Reggie, whose expression was flat and determined. “Reg, what are you doing?”

Reggie clutched Nick’s hand to his chest. “What I have to do to keep you safe.” He glanced back at Caleb. “You need me, don’t you?”

“Precisely.”

“And you’ll let them go? You won’t hurt them?” Reggie’s voice wavered.

“They will be free to leave.”

The bassist pursed his lips. “Okay. You can take me.”

“Reggie, no.” Nick begged, staring into the other’s eyes, which were filled with tears.

Reggie leaned forward, resting his forehead on Nick’s. “I’m sorry, Nick.”

He stepped away from the blonde, towards Caleb. “You can take me.”

Nick opened his mouth, trying to say something, but Reggie’s name died on his lips. 

“Wonderful!” Covington clapped his hands together before waving a man in a pink suit over. 

He walked away, stopping to grab Reggie’s wrist and push him towards the other man. 

“You can all leave now.” Caleb addressed the group. “Dante, can you find something nice for Reginald to wear?”

There was a sick twinkle in his eye as he said, “We can’t have our new bassist wearing a leather jacket for the show.”

**Author's Note:**

> more to come folks. 
> 
> also nick's parents are chad danforth and ryan evans don't even try to deny it.


End file.
